Motor vehicles are typically provided with a center armrest in the rear bench seat. The center armrest can be folded down from a position in which it is aligned with the backrest into a functional position. In this way, the center armrest is available for use by the rear passengers while the center seat can also be used, if necessary.
In order to allow a passenger to sit in the center position in rear seat, the center armrest can not extend forward past the surface of the backrest in the folded-up state. The thickness of the armrest is thus limited to the space available between the front, visible surface of the backrest and the rear support structure of the car body. This amount of space produces an armrest which in the folded-down state is too thin, i.e., the arm support surface is too low, so that a comfortable, ergonomic body position cannot be achieved.
A center armrest that is adjustable in thickness is taught by DE 10 2006 010 6376.9. The center armrest is composed of a lower part and an upper part, which are connected to each other on the front side of the center armrest. Using a connecting rod mechanism that is inserted between the two parts, the upper part of the center armrest can be pivoted upward or downward. However, the thickness of the center armrest is constant in the region of its front end, relative to the position of use, and corresponds to the structural thickness of the backrest.
As a result, the armrest support falls forward in the position of use of the center armrest when the upper part is brought into the maximum, greatly pivoted position.